Rights8/26/2026

“Yael” Association Threatens High Court Petition Over Replacement of Medical Aides in Schools

The “Yael” Association, which advises on food allergy matters, demanded an immediate freeze on the pilot program to replace medical aides with school nurses. If the Ministry of Education does not provide a substantive response by August 30, the organization intends to file an urgent petition with the High Court of Justice.

Key facts

•The pilot will encompass 10 elementary schools
•The program is scheduled to begin in September
•The deadline for the Ministry of Education’s response is August 30
•Nurse’s working time—approximately 30 hours per week
•Budget for aides in 5785—approximately 635 million shekels
•No legal proceedings have yet been initiated

What the Association Is Demanding

The letter to Education Minister Yoav Kisch and the ministry’s management was sent by “Yael’s” legal counsel, attorney Gilad Bar-Tal. The association is demanding a written commitment that no child currently eligible for a medical aide will lose the medical assistance and safe environment provided to them. It also proposes holding an urgent meeting before the program is launched, with representatives of the association and the Ministries of Education and Health participating.

How the Pilot Project Is Structured

The program, approved by the Ministries of Education and Health, is scheduled to begin in September and operate during the coming school year in ten elementary schools. Ten nurses will be sent to the schools: four to institutions in the Haifa, Jerusalem and Central districts, and two more to areas where the Ministry of Health provides the services directly. Each nurse will work about five hours a day, five days a week.

Which Children Will Be Affected by the Changes

The pilot is intended for schools where at least three students require medical assistance and where at least three full-time aides are currently employed for that purpose. The nurses are expected to assist children with life-threatening allergies, epilepsy and diabetes, provide first aid to all students, and train school staff. Children who require invasive medical procedures will not be included in the program at this stage and will continue receiving the previous assistance.

Why the Dispute Arose

The “Yael” Association views the replacement of the aides as a dangerous experiment being conducted without parental consent. By contrast, the Israeli Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology supported the integration of nurses, calling the current assistance model limited and insufficiently professional. Legal proceedings have not yet begun, and the High Court of Justice has issued no decision on the matter.

Scope of the Existing Assistance

According to the published data, 8,339 students are eligible for assistance due to food allergies alone—approximately 81% of all recipients of medical support. In the 5785 school year, the Ministry of Education allocated approximately 635 million shekels for medical aides, including approximately 523 million shekels for children with food allergies. Alongside the pilot, a study is planned to examine the possibility of making the school nurse model permanent.

What this means for you

For families of children with allergies, diabetes or epilepsy, the pilot may change the format of medical support: instead of dedicated aides, assistance will be provided by a school nurse. However, it was promised that the existing model would be retained for children who require invasive procedures. The issue has not yet been finally decided: the association has only warned of a possible petition to the High Court of Justice.

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